


Places we won't walk

by celestialuna



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Character Death, F/F, Other, Secret Relationship, They/Them Pronouns for Hange Zoë
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-08
Updated: 2021-02-08
Packaged: 2021-03-14 01:42:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,496
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29288517
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/celestialuna/pseuds/celestialuna
Relationships: Hange Zoë & Reader, Hange Zoë/Original Character(s), Hange Zoë/Original Female Character(s), Hange Zoë/Reader
Comments: 3
Kudos: 48





	Places we won't walk

It had been raining all day in Paradis Island, a gloomy aura surrounding the area.

Days have passed since the rumbling, the battle against Marleyans ended, and in its wake left a scene that mirrored that from few years ago when the titans first broke the peace everyone within the walls had.

It feels like a millenia ago when you as a soldier under the survey corps dedicated your heart to battle for humanity. You had seen death and experienced loss of comrades firsthand, but among that melancholic experience, those days also brought you bliss. It led you to them after all.

Hange Zoë was a section commander when you first met them in their crazed state. You realized early on that it was their default behavior to be erratic and just so full of energy and it was a sight that perplexed you on so many levels. How could someone who has seen death and faced titans still have that glimmering light of hope in their eyes? How could they become so intrigued and so captivated by the very monsters that ruined your lives? Up to this day, you don't know their answer to any of that.

It didn't take long from when you first met for the brown-haired section commander to take notice of you, after all, you fell face flat on the ground in front of them.

They gasped just a little bit too dramatically before screaming, "Are you okay?!" They quickly offered their hand to help you back up.

Since that encounter, you found yourself getting called - or rather, Hange screaming for your attention at the top of their lungs. A smile would always fall on your lips every time they called you. It didn't take long for the two of you to develop a friendship; Hange was a charming person who beyond her usual manic behavior when studying titans was a kind and caring person. Something you found out about them from spending so much time together.

They'd make all kinds of excuses to drag you away from your squad, something that annoyed Levi to no end.

It didn't take long before you realized how captivated you were by their existence; It manifested in the way your heart would beat quicker when they would pull you in for a hug or clasps your hand out of pure excitement from an experiment gone well. It was obvious in the way your cheeks would heat up when they would jokingly flirt with you as you would reciprocate it with ease. But on your end, It was never a mere joke, everything you said was true and genuine.

Deep inside, you knew that falling for them was dangerous, the possibility of ruining the wonderful friendship you had created and the fact that they were still your superior though not directly loomed over your head in every moment you spent up close with them. You tried to stop your feelings from growing but it was like your system wouldn't listen and allowed itself to be dragged deeper into the void that was them.

Day offs weren't a frequent occurrence but when you did get one, you'd spend it with Hange - though you were sure that they snuck off and would get reprimanded for it later on, but that thought went over your head, you just wanted to spend as much time as you could with them.

Tomorrows weren't promised in a job that put your life at risk every single day and with how much time you had left, you planned on spending it memorizing the face of the person that stood before you with the sun setting behind them.

Hange being an adventurous soul would drag you to places they've discovered by chance when they were out experimenting or catching titans. Safe to say every view they have shown you up to date has been nothing less of majestic. Whether it were mountains with the river surrounding it from down below or a hill that had the best view of the sunset, you loved every view all the same and treasured it because it was a view that Hange introduced you to. They have shown you so many beautiful things since entering your life and you were nothing less of grateful.

As they sat on the edge, dangling their feet with a smile on their face, they reached a hand out to you, inviting you to sit with them. Something overtook you as you trudged forward and gently kneeled before them, a puzzled look graced Hange's face for a split second before your hand settled on their cheek and you brought them in for a kiss. It was gentle and held all of your affection and admiration for them.

You were surprised when Hange smiled into the kiss, you were about to pull back when they cupped your cheek and prolonged the kiss.

Since that moment, you two decided to try being in a relationship. No courting occurred because as Hange had put it, you both just didn't have the luxury of time. It was the bittersweet truth that you both had to live with. You couldn't imagine a world where they didn't exist by your side and you didn't ever want to go through the pain of losing them.

But that was too idealistic and chances were slim from the beginning. One of you was going to lose the other - it was simply a matter of who would have to keep moving forward with their life.

A knock on your door broke you out of your trance. part of you wished that it was Hange, finally getting a chance to come home to the small apartment that you shared. But you knew all too well that if it were the commander, they would have barged in and tackled you in for a hug already.

Your heart began to beat quickly, a thousand thoughts ravaging your mind with who could it be and what kind of news they would be bringing; you hoped that whoever it was would tell you that they're okay.

You open the door and immediately get greeted with the sight of Levi, his face crestfallen and his eyes holding more emotions than you've seen in the years you've worked with him.

His eyes conveyed everything but you still didn't want to believe it.

"It's nice to see you, Captain. How are you?" You begin small conversation, trying to lighten up the mood despite your own heart stinging in your chest.

Levi could already see the tears forming in your eyes but chose to be the stronger one between the two of you.

"14th commander of the survey corps, H-Hange Zoë..." His voice cracks a little when he says they're name but immediately regains his composure and looks you straight in the eye.

"They dedicated themself to humanity until their last breathe." He ends his statement with a nod.

It was like the air was punched out of your lungs as you staggered backwards a bit, forcing air into your lungs, but the sound that came out of your mouth was a burden that Levi knew he would continue to bring for all his life.

You turned away from him, not wanting him to see how weak you could become in this moment but in your sudden movements, you trip and fall to the floor. Clenching your hands into a tight fist, a strained scream comes out as the tears you had been keeping at bay come pouring out of your eyes. Levi takes hesitant steps toward you and crouches down to put a hand on your shoulder. In that moment of contact, you let down your guard as you launch yourself onto him, pulling him in for a hug. After all, if there was anything you had come to know from being with Hange for years, it was that Levi was always by their side, stopping them from doing anything stupid or dangerous. Levi had lost someone important to him just as you had lost someone you loved with every atom in your body. _He lost the last person that truly knew him._

On the day of their funeral, after most of the soldiers had left, you said your final goodbye to Hange, "We always knew that this time would come... but it doesn't make it hurt any less. You did well, until the very end. I'll always devote my heart to humanity - and another whole part of it to you only. I'll go to the places we won't walk together, I'll never stop finding the views that I know you'll love. I'll never stop fighting for our people's freedom, for people lands away to see us as friends rather than enemies - that's what you died for, that was the view you wanted to see, right?"

You salute to the stone that sits atop their grave, your hand firmly on top of your heart. _"Always in my heart, my love._


End file.
